


Human Leather Shoes for Crocodile Dandies

by viole



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Business, Curses, Dreams, Drunk Jojen, F/F, Hotel, M/M, Magic, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-07 09:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11621214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viole/pseuds/viole
Summary: Jojen and Meera are CEOs of a crocodile leather company and they both hate their job. Taking a small escape trip on his own, Jojen happens to pick the wrong hotel.





	1. Chapter 1

A piano is playing in the garden. There is a party outside, men in suits and women in cocktail dresses.  


Glass in hand, he stands at the window. Part of Jojen is wondering why he is not outside mingling with the crowd, seizing the perfect distraction opportunity. Maybe even making some contacts. The leather case with the business cards works a charm each time. It worked on the train, he did it as a habit, forgetting that it represents everything he is trying to get away from. 

The other part wants soundproof windows, which honestly a hotel like this should have in the first place. He does not want to see the lights, does not want to hear the gaudy music, does not want to be touched by everyone’s happiness. It is also possible that he is too drunk to be in the company of another human being.  


A knock. Room service, he remembers.  


"Come in".  


Jojen turns around when the door opens and the service cart wheels in, and sees the most beautiful bellboy that has to exist. He hasn’t paid much attention to the hotel uniforms this morning, and now he is getting the full picture. He is under the impression the boy has grown inside the clothes and shaped them accordingly, along with the small ornamented hat that looks like a pretty tropical flower growing on his dark hair.  


"Wh… I…"  


"Um, would you like something else, sir?" the boy asked.  


Jojen starts considering how rude it would be to ask him questions about himself. Certainly the hotel will not have workers that are too inexperienced or easy to impress with a few pick up lines, but making a bad impression is always an option. Desperately he tries to remember how politeness works. The ridiculously large bed in the next room, with the ridiculously large drapings and the tall ceiling that makes it look like the inside of a tower, is making so much more sense now.  


"Could you stay here?"  


The boy blinks. "Pardon?"  


For a moment Jojen thinks he muttered something else. Something about... obligation? Even with the amount of booze in his blood, he is sure the boy did not speak more than one word, and that Jojen heard it anyway, an echo of a sentence. "Do you have any other appointments? Or do you have to work at the party?"  


"No, I can stay. What do you wish me to do?"  


If he continues to stare, Jojen probably will forget to breathe. So he turns around to open a window.  


"Excuse me, not that button, sir," The bellboy rushes to his side, causing Jojen to stand back. He activates the display and pushes the curtain further aside. Of course, the stupid drapery controls are in the digital system too.  


"This is how you close it properly," he says, pushing a button, or maybe more at once, Jojen can't tell. "And this is how you open it." 

"See, I’m lost without you," Jojen smiles, and there is more music now coming from outside. 

The bellboy signifies a nod, then starts flurrying around the room to see what else to fix. Luckily everything is in disorder, and there are plenty of tablecloths to straighten, heaters to adjust and pillows to fluff on the fantastically large sofa. He has to be a fairy. Why isn’t he already in Jojen’s bed? He should have been there years ago.  


Something falls out of the boy’s pocket and Jojen picks it up.  


"Is this yours?" 

“Yes, very sorry, sir.” the bellboy takes it gently from him and sticks it back in his pocket. “I was cleaning up in the garden and forgot to throw it away.”  


“That a garden plant? It's like a bit of a bird’s nest. Are those ribbons?”  


“It’s for the festivities. From the maze.” the bellboy explains, his face flushing. Jojen peeks outside. From what he has seen, the decorations are merely a blinding amount of electrical lights.

"It looks pretty," Jojen comments. "You’re… you’re…" He scratches his head. "Excuse me, you must get that a lot."  


The bellboy thinks about it for a second. He is certainly not going to play dumb.  


"Nothing to worry about, sir. The hotel takes care of the employees."  


"Good." The thought of another person oogling at the young man makes him wince. "It still must make you uncomfortable. I don’t mean to… well, look at you so much. Do you always get sent to the grumpy guests?"  


The bellboy is suddenly trying to keep down a smile. "I don’t really know, sir. I haven’t noticed."  


Only a couple of minutes and Jojen has already made him feel like smiling. This is a cause for celebration! Jojen tries to reach for the fresh bottle, but instead sinks into one of the armchairs.  


"Are you alright, sir?" the bellboy approaches him immediately. "Should I call someone?"  


"God no," Jojen says alarmed. He raises his glass to show the bellboy he is perfectly fine, but strangely doesn’t earn a very convinced look. The bellboy fills another glass and discreetly replaces the whisky in Jojen's hand.  


"Thanks," _Water._ Water was delicious.  


"Maybe some more fresh air would help?" he suggests.  


"Yes." _Please do with me whatever you want._  


Somehow he manages to get out of the comfortable armchair and sit outside in one of the equally comfortable loungers. He looks up, hypnotized by the stars, while the bellboy places the contents of the service cart on the patio bar.  


"Are you allowed to have a drink at work?  


"Certainly not, sir.  


"Not even orange juice?" 

"You don’t have to drink alone," the boy says. "The party is open for all guests. You can join them anytime."  


"I don’t think I want to be with anyone else, ever."  


He notices a pondering look on the boy’s face, then his vision blurrs as he sees him walk towards Jojen, sit down next to him and move closer to his face as if to check on him, and hell Jojen is going to take that offer. His arms pull his shoulders down, their lips meet in a haze of hurried breaths. Jojen feels fully awake now, and he receives no resistance. The boy feels warm and wonderful in his embrace and Jojen turns him around swiftly, placing himself on top, feelings hands on his neck and back.  


They are suddenly in the bed in the next room and Jojen is washed over with want and happiness, feels lucky, proud, relieved that his lousy evening has turned into a glorious encounter with this lovely man. He seems to keep his distance still, but his cheeks are flushed and Jojen is determined to make this evening equally wonderful for him.  


The buttons on the uniform are hurting them both, pressed to each other as close as possible, so Jojen takes the top off, surprisingly easy, only to find the boy is wearing a different set of clothes underneath, ruffly and pretty, but odd. He hesitates a moment, until realization hits and he grasps the body underneath him, chanting: “Oh no, no no…!” as he wakes up on the lounger with the stars above in a slightly different constellation.  


Jojen covers his face and his aching forehead with his hands. His disappointment is bigger than his embarrassment, but in the process of sobering up he is still ashamed about the dream and about the things he said. The boy is of course gone. Yet, someone has covered him with a blanket. Jojen slowly crawls deeper underneath the plush fabric, covering himself head to toe, enjoying the warmth that at least has been real.

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Morning finds him with a bigger headache, but with a lighter heart. He is calmer and less ashamed. Somewhere in his body even hope is fluttering its little wings in its own careless fashion, while everything else inside Jojen is crying in pain and bemoaning the lack of the pretty bellboy in his bed, his shower, his breakfast table and his life in general. 

He obviously has a crush, which is a nice thing. It is also awful. The wrong person is bringing him breakfast, the wrong person brings him his clothes from the laundry service, the wrong person once again brings him something for the hangover when he orders room service for the third time that morning. 

Jojen’s phone buzzes, reminding him that he has an appointment. The man he met on the train yesterday happened to be one of the potential business partners of Grey Lizard, and Jojen, trying to make some sense of his own impulsive decision to leave, had agreed to arrange a meeting when he arrived.

Jojen checks his clothing and decides to redress, into one of the cleaned crisp shirts. The meeting feels out of place, but it will simply make an excellent excuse if Jojen decides to stay a while at the hotel. His sister and co-boss is rarely suspicious or nosy about her responsible brother – it is Jojen who feels bad about leaving her in the dark about his destination. 

The conference room is perfectly quiet, and he can wait in peace for the pounding in his head to slow down. Jojen is early, so he dozes on and off on the table. He can’t tell how much time has passed when the door clicked open and the pretty bellboy walks in with a tray of drinks and glasses. 

"Oh," Jojen makes. The boy smiles and says good morning. Then Jojen suddenly stops grinning. "You haven’t been working double shifts, have you?…" 

"I am on my second shift, but I arranged with my colleagues to get a few hours of sleep," the boy says. "Thanks for your interest, sir, it is very considerate of you." 

_So you did sleep at the hotel. You could have..._

"Sorry I booked you for so long," he says instead. "You were an excellent help. I wish I could thank you somehow." 

The boy lowers his gaze, flustered and looking to change the topic. His eyes move about until they find the suitcase with the shiny logo next to Jojen on the table.

"I've seen that before," he says while placing various bottles inside the table cooler. 

"The suitcase? I make them," Jojen says. "Well, not me, my company. Isn’t it terrible?"

"Working for your company?"

"Well, mainly the products," Jojen scrunches his face. "Least ugly line we have, but still... Who thought something made out of crocodile leather would look good?"

"It is a well known and exquisite brand," the boy comments tactfully.

"You wouldn’t buy it, would you?" 

"I … No, sir, I’m afraid not. My sisters... no, I don’t think they would choose to buy them either. Although I am not sure about one or two of my older brothers." 

Jojen looks up at him in awe. "You have that many?"

"Two sisters and four brothers," he replies, now with actual pride in his voice. "With a few adopted ones thrown in."

"I have one sister," Jojen says. "We were employees in the company, but somehow got mingled with the management. Before you know, we were both the two co-bosses, making a huge load of money and living awful lives."

The boy smiles sympathetically. "Sorry to hear that. I’m a bit without orientation myself. My parents run a hotel too, just not as big as this one. I am here to find out if I want to do this with them."

There is a knock on the door and Jojen’s client enters. The bellboy hushes to his side to take off his jacket. With some inner resistance, Jojen peels himself off the table he has been melting onto and shakes hands with the business partner. 

"Great to see you again so soon, Mr. Reed, thanks for taking your time to see me," Mr. Saan ignores the bellboy entirely, which is beyond Jojen. He almost wants to show him off. 

The boy notices Jojen and immediately gets the wrong message. 

"I’ll be leaving in a moment!" he says, hastily finishing pouring the drinks. 

"Nothing at all. Take your time," is the client’s generous response. "Actually I called for my assistant to help out, but it seems he isn't going to make it. So we have to skip a very boring presentation, I‘m afraid.“ 

Jojen watches him leave without having a chance to explain. So much for mind reading. Whatever happened yesterday doesn't seem to work the other way around.

He reminds himself he is here for a good cause. Mr. Saan takes out several folders with faux leather samples and a few example products. Some of them look very nice, Jojen realizes, as the man explains their benefits and art of making. Naturally they are cheaper to produce, but with a brand like this, price isn’t really a point to consider. Sadly almost none of them is a big haptic improvement to what they work with. He does want his company to rethink their main source very badly, but he can’t do it at the price of lesser quality. Jojen chooses one of the faux suedes meant for tablet and phone cases, which feels and looks better than his current one. He agrees to send the sample with two others to their research department, but is quite straightforward about the prospect of them being taken into the product range. Mr. Saan however, does not mind – he seems very happy about the meeting.

"It’s amazing to meet you finally," the man says. "I have heard everything about the prodigy duo of Grey Lizard." 

Jojen smiles. Despite wanting to leave the company badly, he can’t deny Meera and him are doing a fantastic job. She is the one calling all the risky shots, while he monitors her decisions and backs them up, at least the more reasonable ones. 

They wanted to make Meera the CEO first, but she flat out refused unless she was allowed to have her brother on board. And keep her secretary. A CEO duo had never been done before, but reputation management reported that the feedback from the partners was exceptional. Many of them were traditionalists and were thrilled with the idea of Miss Reed insisting on moral support from her brother and equal power distribution. Which only made the siblings hate them more. Many of Meera’s decisions seemed to endanger the company on purpose, but the outcome so far had always been an improvement.

It's a lucky streak, clearly, and they are waiting for it to end so they can leave. Every now and then, Meera and Jojen discuss their options of doing something else. 

"I was never an animal activist," Meera once said over her glass of scotch. "I love hunting, for gods’ sake. And I still don’t get it. Hunting for food, yes. Hunting for the thrill of it, maybe. But all those ugly bags? It’s not right." 

The productive part of the day is done. Mr. Saan has to leave for another appointment, so Jojen decides to skip lunch and take a trip to town. Staying in the hotel and peeking around everywhere isn't the best plan – the bellboy knows the building better than he does, and if he wants to stay hidden, Jojen isn’t going to find him, mind reading or not. 

He hesitates at the reception about having a taxi called for him. Taking a walk seems more appealing right now. He doesn’t know where he might end up, but isn’t that the whole point of this little escape? 

“Sir, someone left this here for you.” the receptionist says and places a package on the counter.

Jojen opens up the parcel in the lounge area. Inside is a card from Mr. Saan, thanking him for the meeting, and a pair of shoes. On a whim, he tries them out there and then. They are not very extravagant and perhaps a little too large for his size, but still quite comfortable, so he keeps them on and tells the receptionist to send his pair to his room. It's a good feeling to wear something that is not made of animal leather and a walk in town will be perfect to break them in. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You read that right, four brothers, just like in Dreamer and Raven. I don‘t even like Greyjoy, but he is a Stark to me.
> 
> Also, animal patterns in general are a no-go, morally and visually. Unless you are Yuri Plisetsky in a rebellious phase, do not wear them xDD 
> 
> Chapter 2 and we still don't know the bellboy's name ^^ I mean, we do, but not officially =)

**Author's Note:**

> The fanfic is named after the song by the amazing Caravan Palace of course ^^  
> The beginning of the fic was inspired by another song which is too cheesy to name, but when I heard Caravan Palace during the process, there was no way I wouldn't use it as a prompt to shape the supernatural elements in this fanfic - especially since shoes and crocodile leather were already involved. As a title it spoils a lot, but it's just too tempting. 
> 
> The fic is not finished or fully fleshed out, which scares me a little, so feel free to throw at me any theories or ideas that it might give you.  
> 


End file.
